She had uttered the last words in a trembling voice, but the burgomaster exclaimed with deep emotion: 

“Stay, stay, Maria!  Come, come, and forgive me!” Peter seized her hand, exclaiming again: 

“Come, come!”

But the young wife released herself, retreated a step and said beseechingly: 

“Let me go, Peter, I cannot; I need time to overcome this.”

He let his arms fall and gazed mournfully into her face, but she turned away and silently left the room.  Peter Van der Werff did not follow her, but went quietly into his study and strove to reflect upon many things, that concerned his office, but his thoughts constantly reverted to Maria.  His love oppressed him as if it were a crime, and he seemed to himself like a courier, who gathers flowers by the way-side and in this idling squanders time and forgets the object of his mission.  His heart felt unspeakably heavy and sad, and it seemed almost like a deliverance when, just before midnight, the bell in the Tower of Pancratius raised its evilboding voice.  In danger, he knew, he would feel and think of nothing except what duty required of him, so with renewed strength he took his hat from the hook and left the house with a steady step.

In the street he met Junker Van Duivenvoorde, who summoned him to the Hohenort Gate, before which a body of Englishmen had again appeared; a few brave soldiers who, in a fierce, bloody combat, had held Alfen and the Gouda sluice against the Spaniards until their powder was exhausted and necessity compelled them to yield or seek safety in flight.  The burgomaster followed the officer and ordered the gates to be opened to the brave soldiers.  They were twenty in number, among them the Netherland Captain Van der Iaen, and a Young German officer.  Peter commanded, that they should have shelter for the night in the town-hall and the guard-house at the gate.  The next morning suitable quarters would be found for them in the houses of the citizens.  Janus Dousa invited the captain to lodge with him, the German went to Aquanus’s tavern.  All were ordered to report to the burgomaster at noon the next day, to be assigned to quarters and enrolled among the volunteer troops.

The ringing of the alarm-bell in the tower also disturbed the night’s rest of the ladies in the Van der Werff household.  Barbara sought Maria, and neither returned to their rooms until they had learned the cause of the ringing and soothed Henrica.

Maria could not sleep.  Her husband’s purpose of separating from her during the impending danger, had stirred her whole soul, wounded her to the inmost depths of her heart.  She felt humiliated, and, if not misunderstood, at least unappreciated by the man for whose sake she rejoiced, whenever she perceived a lofty aspiration or noble emotion in her own soul.  What avail is personal loveliness to the beautiful wife of a blind man; of what avail to Maria was the rich treasure buried in her bosom, if her husband would not see and bring it to the surface!  “Show him, tell him how lofty are your feelings,” urged love; but womanly pride exclaimed:  “Do not force upon him what he disdains to seek.”